Springer leak
Telegraph takeover , Issue 1671

COVERAGE of German publisher Axel Springer's last-minute swoop to take the Telegraph titles from under the nose of Lord Rothermere has concentrated largely on how the papers will fare under an avowedly pro-European owner. But Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner may be a better fit for the ever-more reactionary broadsheet than many realise.

In 2023, texts from Döpfner were leaked, detailing some of his personal political opinions.

In one, he said: "I am all for climate change... We shouldn't fight climate change but adjust to it"; and summed up his foreign policy views as "Free west [sic], fuck the intolerant Muslims and all the other riff-raff", which is practically a summary of the Telegraph's op-ed pages.

Gaga for MAGA
Döpfner, like the Telegraph, is also more of a fan of the MAGA movement than many in the UK. In 2020 he praised Donald Trump after the killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, saying: "Nobel peace prize for Trump."

Last year he called JD Vance's speech to the Munich Security Conference "inspiring", after the US vice-president claimed restrictions on freedom of expression in Europe were a greater threat to the region than Russia or China.

Döpfner is also pally with Elon Musk, having suggested to him in 2022 that he buy Twitter and let Axel Springer run it as a "true platform of free speech".

Late in 2024 – at least according to a contemporary report in the Telegraph – it was Döpfner himself who encouraged Musk to write a column backing the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the Axel Springer title Welt am Sonntag, which resulted in the resignation of the paper's opinion editor.

Running interference
The Telegraph – which has been making much of its abhorrence for proprietorial influence as it campaigned against other possible owners – backtracked on this episode in its coverage of the deal, carrying the careful line that Axel Springer "denied that Döpfner was responsible" for Musk's pro-AfD article.

But leaked texts sent during Germany's 2021 federal election also show Döpfner asking the editor of his company's title Bild if he "could do any more for the FDP" and commanding: "Please strengthen the FDP." Pieces strongly backing the right-wing Free Democratic party promptly appeared.

More top stories in the latest issue:

THE ROTHER WOMAN
After Mail owner Lord Rothermere "stepped out" with his new squeeze at a party, the financial fallout from the split with his wife could be complicated.

CASH DISPENSERS
More has emerged in the case of Prince Harry, Baroness Lawrence and others against the Daily Mail about payments by both sides to witnesses.

COLE SORE
After interviewing Donald Trump, the Sun's Harry Cole somewhat exaggerated the US president's criticism of Keir Starmer.

FAKING IT
After ten months, press watchdog Ipso finally got round to issuing a judgment on complaints about an entirely fake Telegraph interview.

BAIT & SWITCH
Reach plc's clickbait outlets have new desperate tactics: lots of royal stories every day, and dozens of pieces rehashing Ian Huntley's gruesome crimes.

LESSONS FROM HISTORY
Since the bombing of Iran began, the denizens of the Street of Shame have excelled themselves in contradicting their former pronouncements.